Plant-based Garden Cream Cheese Spread
Jenn, over at Veggie Inspired has a great recipe for a Veggie Cream Cheese Spread, that, the moment I saw it, I knew I had to try it! It contained all kinds of things that sounded great and like they’d work well together. But, nothing screamed “cream cheese” to me, so I figured I’d like what I made, but not think it was cream cheese.
I. Was. So. Wrong!
I’m not sure what is in Jenn’s recipe that gives it the flavor it does, but if I had to guess, it’s that apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. In fact, the recipe reeks of the ACV all the way through, and, to me, smells rather nasty. But, by the time you add all the veggies at the end, and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator (if you can wait that long), it’s nothing short of amazing, and just what I remember a good garden cream cheese spread should taste like! Combined with some Pretzel Crisps, it makes an incredible summer afternoon snack!
Or, find below, almost verbatim, with my modifications and notes:
Plant-based Garden Cream Cheese Spread (Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews soaked in water for several hours or overnight, drained and rinsed (Or not. See PBB Notes below.)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 2-3 tbsp water
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup diced bell pepper Orange, red, yellow or green, or all four!
- 2 tbsp diced green onion
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Be sure your cashews have soaked for several hours, or ideally, overnight. The longer they soak, the creamier your cream cheese will be. After soaking, drain and rinse the cashews.
- To the bowl of a food processor, add the soaked cashews, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Start to process to break up the cashews. You'll need to stop the food processor and scrape down the sides frequently to keep the mixture moving. Add the water 1 tbsp at a time until it comes together into a smooth spread. Be patient as this could take 5-10 minutes.
- Once it’s smooth, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the carrots, red pepper, green onion, parsley, and dill. Stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice, if necessary.
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in the fridge. It will set up and thicken slightly as it sits in the fridge and gets cold. You could eat it right away, but it’s better cold.
Notes
